When it comes to cocktails, it doesn’t get more “Wisconsin” than the Old Fashioned. Our love for them runs deep.
Before we lived in Wisconsin, we dreamed of drinking these with family around a bonfire on a warm Summer night by the lake.
But it just wasn’t the same drinking them NOT in Wisconsin, so we would make the classic version of the recipe and reserve the real deal for when we were back home for vacations and other family gatherings. Now that we live here in Wisconsin and spend much of our summers “up north” at our cottage on the lake, these are a staple and perfect for any and all occasions.
To be very clear, an Old Fashioned and a Wisconsin Old Fashioned, while they have some similarities, are different drinks. From their ingredients to how you order them and even the cup you drink them out of, there is indeed a “right” way to make a Wisconsin Old Fashioned and we’re going to tell you how.
What is an Old Fashioned cocktail?
The old fashioned classic recipe is very simple and includes only a few ingredients. While there may be a few varying opinions on the details of how much of the ingredients to use or how to mix them together, the gist is as follows.
In a rocks glass, combine ice, whiskey (rye or bourbon), sugar, bitters and an orange peel. That’s it! Typically the amounts are a few ice cubes, around 2 ounces of liquor, a half of a teaspoon of sugar, 2-3 dashes of bitters and a single orange peel with the juice twisted out primarily as a garnish.
How is an Old Fashioned in Wisconsin different?
What makes a Wisconsin Old Fashioned different is, well, almost everything. The primary thing that makes them similar is that they both use bitters and to a lesser degree sugar (or some form of sweetener) and orange as a garnish, but the similarities largely end there.
Let’s start with the cocktail base, the liquor that is used. The Wisconsin Old Fashioned uses Brandy instead of a type of whiskey. Brandy is a liquor that is made by distilling wine, with one of the most well-known brands being Korbel.
Wisconsin as a state drinks more Brandy than any other state in large part due to our obsession with this drink. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, brandy was very popular in Europe and in particular popular in Germany. Wisconsin has deep German heritage and it is believed that this is likely where the state’s love of the liquor came from.
Another key difference is that an Old Fashioned Wisconsin style includes a “mixer” or a soda. Most commonly these are a “sweet” soda like Sprite or 7up or a “sour” soda like Squirt.
The best Old Fashioned brandy brands
Of course you can use any brand of brandy to make a good Old Fashioned, but we have a few favorites brands we use for our Old Fashioned brandy cocktails.
How to order an Old Fashioned cocktail in Wisconsin
I’m not going to lie – for a long time I made my mom or brother order my Old Fashioned cocktails because I didn’t want to embarrass myself.
If you’re a local, you know how to do this. However, even though I grew up in Wisconsin I didn’t live here during my young adult life so I didn’t learn how to order an Old Fashioned properly until I moved back to the midwest.
Ordering an old fashioned properly in Wisconsin might seem intimidating, but it’s quite simple. The structure looks like this: I want a [Liquor] Old Fashioned [Style] with [Garnish].
As you can see, you have a few options, so let’s talk through them!
Liquor
Your first thought is probably “Liquor? I thought you said a Wisconsin Old Fashioned uses brandy?” The short answer is, it does, but some people still prefer whiskey or bourbon. Brandy has tannins like wine (since it is a derivative of wine) which can cause headaches for many people.
You can still get the rest of your Old Fashioned Wisconsin style even if you swap out the brandy for liquor. An Old Fashioned with whisky or an Old Fashioned with bourbon are both great choices.
If you’re wondering which whiskey for Old Fashioned cocktails is best, we have a few recommendations for a relatively comparable flavor profile to and brandy Old Fashioned. Kessler’s Whiskey is a great budget pick, usually running around $15 for 1.75L. Candian Club or Canadian Mist are solid mid-tier choices and run closer to $20 for a 1.75L.
For more of top shelf choice choices, you can’t go wrong with an Old Fashioned Jack Daniels style. And an Old Fashioned Jameson style is a great option for Irish Whiskey lovers.
Style
The style conveys how you want your Old Fashioned prepared with a mixer and the most common styles are sweet, sour, press or seltzer.
Garnish
Lastly, the garnish is where you let the bartender know whether you want cherries, olives, mushrooms, orange or something else.
I’ve even seen people get baby onions in their Old Fashioned before!
Put it all together!
Putting it all together then, a few examples might be:
- Brandy Old Fashioned Sour with Olives (My brother’s personal favorite – he’s been trying to make the acronym “BOFSWO” happen for a while now)
- Whiskey Old Fashioned Press with Mushrooms (My mom’s favorite! Tannins give her headaches)
- Brandy Old Fashioned Sweet with Olives (I like to mix it up but this is my go-to!)
- Whiskey Old Fashioned Seltzer with Cherries and Oranges (Cody’s favorite. What can I say, he’s from the east coast and likes his Wisconsin Old Fashioned as close as the classic Old Fashioned recipe as possible)
Best drinkware for an Old Fashioned
Fittingly, you can use an Old Fashioned glass (similar to, and sometimes called, a lowball glass or rocks glass) for your Wisconsin Old Fashioned.
We recommend a Double Old Fashioned (DOF) glass over the standard size as a Wisconsin Old Fashioned tends to be bigger than the spirit forward classic version of the cocktail since it has more mixer and garnishes. Typically a single Old Fashioned glass holds 6-10 ounces while a hold 12-16 ounces.
The classic design is made of glass with a thick, heavy bottom and commonly cut into an intricate pattern. Those work
Best Wisconsin Style
If you’re looking for the most authentic experience, nothing quite does the job like a Tervis lowball!
A Tervis is a double-walled plastic tumbler that insulates your drink to keep it cold and never sweats – you’ll never need a coaster to prevent water rings from appearing on your wood furniture! They come in a few sizes but the 12 ounce version is perfect a Wisconsin Old Fashioned.
Tervis 12 Oz Tumbler 4-Pack
If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
They are known for having different decorative applique patches or other items inserted in the void between the walls.
If you grew up here, chances are pretty good that you’ve seen your fair share of these in the bars of family members. Some of my favorite designs are the maritime flags at my uncle’s, the flowers at my mom’s and the golf theme and fly fishing lures of my grandparents!
There are unlimited patterns available, especially if you delve into the depths of eBay looking for vintage collections. The plain versions function equally well!
Best Budget
Anchor Hocking is a well known and respected brand that makes durable glassware. Their Manchester line of Old Fashioned Glasses is a steal at around $2 per glass.
If you’re looking for something that is a bit more intricate than the minimalist option but not as much as the traditional cut glass patterns, these might be for you.
Anchor Hocking 10.5 Oz Manchester Glass
If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Best Minimalist
These are about as simple as they come. A no frills design but with all of the important elements – right size, right weight, right material. The price varies but typically they run around $5 per glass!
Godinger 11 Oz Old Fashioned Glass Set of 4
If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Best Classic
As previously mentioned, an Old Fashioned glass is commonly styled with an ornate cut glass design. Riedel is an established fine glassware brand and the pattern on these is perfectly traditional for Old Fashioneds.
They are on the pricier side at around $15 a glass, but the quality and craftsmanship will last a lifetime and you’ll likely find yourself expanding your set to include 8 or even 12 glasses.
Riedel Spey 12 Oz DOF Glass Set of 4
If you click this link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Of course there are hundreds, if not thousands, of other options. Some other brands you can’t go wrong with are Libbey, Bormioli Rocco and Duralex.
How to make a Wisconsin Old Fashioned
Equipment
- Glass
- Jigger
- Cocktail Pick
- Stir spoon
Ingredients
- Ice cubes
- 2 ounces of Brandy
- 3-4 dashes of Angostura Bitters
- A half can of soda (Sweet, Sour, Press or Seltzer)
- Cherry Juice or Old Fashioned Mix
- Garnish (Olives, Mushrooms, Baby Onions, Cherries, Orange)
Instructions
Alright, let’s make an Old Fashioned!
Sometimes we switch it up and make an old fashioned not Wisconsin-style. Here are some of the things wemight do… maple syrup, etc.
How many calories are in an Old Fashioned?
Calories in a Wisconsin Old Fashioned can vary based on your choices. The liquors roughly contain the same amount of the largely based on the mixer you choose.
Liquor – brandy, whiskey and bourbon all contain around 100 calories per jigger
Bitters – 1.5 calories per dash, so depending on your affinity for bitters it’s somewhere between 5 -15 calories.
Soda – For sweet Old Fashioneds, Sprite, 7up, and Sierra all contain roughly the same amount of calories at 70-75 for 6 ounces or a half can. For sour Old Fashioned cocktails, Squirt or Sierra Mist are popular choices and similar to the sweet options, they are comparable to each other at 70-75 calories for a half can. The lowest calorie Old Fashioneds are those that use club soda or seltzer as some or all of the mixer. Sparkling waters are calorie free so are the lowest calorie option. Of course, no calorie and low calorie options are available for the sweet and sour if you choose.
Mix or Cherry Juice
